List of governors of Louisiana (Redirected from Governor of Louisiana)

The governor of Louisiana is the head of government of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Louisiana's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. Republican Jeff Landry has served as the current governor since January 8, 2024.

List of governors

Territory of Orleans

Louisiana was purchased by the United States from France in 1803. On October 1, 1804, Orleans Territory was organized from the southern part of the Purchase, with the remainder being made the District of Louisiana and placed under the jurisdiction of Indiana Territory. The District of Louisiana would later become Louisiana Territory, but after Orleans Territory became the state of Louisiana, Louisiana Territory was renamed Missouri Territory.

Governor of the Territory of Orleans
Governor Term in office Appointed by
William C. C. Claiborne
(d. 1817)
December 20, 1803

July 30, 1812
(elected state governor)
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison

State of Louisiana

Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812. It seceded from the Union on January 26, 1861, and it was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 8, 1861. However, since substantial parts of the state remained in Union hands throughout the war, there were two lines of governors elected. Following the end of the American Civil War, Louisiana during Reconstruction was part of the Fifth Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Louisiana was readmitted to the Union on July 9, 1868.

The 1812 constitution established the office of governor, to serve for four years starting from the fourth Monday after the election. In 1845, the start date was moved to the fourth Monday of the January after the election; in 1864, it was moved to the second Monday of the January after the election; in 1879 it was moved to the first Monday after the General Assembly announced the election result; the 1921 Constitution fixed the new inauguration date as the second Tuesday in May. The 1974 Constitution changed the date, effective in 1980, to the second Monday of the March following the election; this was amended in 1987, to become effective in 1992, to the second Monday of January. Governors were not allowed to succeed themselves until 1864, when the constitution held no term limits. The restriction on governors succeeding themselves was reintroduced in 1868, removed in 1870, and again added in 1898. An amendment to the constitution passed in 1966 allowed governors to succeed themselves once before requiring a gap before they can be elected again. Five governors have served nonconsecutive terms. Andre B. Roman, Francis T. Nicholls, and Jimmie Davis each served two non-consecutive terms, while Earl Long and Edwin Edwards both served in three distinct stints.

In the event of a vacancy, the President of the Senate originally acted as governor. The 1845 constitution created the office of lieutenant governor, to be elected at the same time and manner as the governor and who would act as governor in the event of a vacancy. The 1913 constitution established that the lieutenant governor would become governor in case of a vacancy. The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on a ticket.

Governors of the State of Louisiana
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor
1   William C. C. Claiborne
(d. 1817)
July 30, 1812

December 17, 1816
(term-limited)
Democratic-
Republican
1812 Office did not exist
2 Jacques Villeré
(1761–1830)
December 17, 1816

December 18, 1820
(term-limited)
Democratic-
Republican
1816
3 Thomas B. Robertson
(1779–1828)
December 18, 1820

November 15, 1824
(resigned)
Democratic-
Republican
1820
4 Henry S. Thibodaux
(1769–1827)
November 15, 1824

December 13, 1824
(successor took office)
Democratic-
Republican
President of
the Senate
acting
5 Henry Johnson
(1783–1864)
December 13, 1824

December 15, 1828
(term-limited)
Adams
Republican
1824
6 Pierre Derbigny
(1769–1829)
December 15, 1828

October 6, 1829
(died in office)
Adams
Republican
1828
7 Arnaud Beauvais
(1783–1843)
October 6, 1829

January 14, 1830
(senate term ended)
National
Republican
President of
the Senate
acting
8 Jacques Dupré
(1773–1846)
January 14, 1830

January 31, 1831
(successor took office)
National
Republican
President of
the Senate
acting
9 Andre B. Roman
(1795–1866)
January 31, 1831

February 2, 1835
(term-limited)
National
Republican
1830
(special)
10 Edward Douglass White Sr.
(1795–1847)
February 2, 1835

February 4, 1839
(term-limited)
Whig 1834
9 Andre B. Roman
(1799–1866)
February 4, 1839

January 30, 1843
(term-limited)
Whig 1838
11 Alexandre Mouton
(1804–1885)
January 30, 1843

February 12, 1846
(term-limited)
Democratic 1842
12 Isaac Johnson
(1803–1853)
February 12, 1846

January 28, 1850
(term-limited)
Democratic 1846   Trasimond Landry
13 Joseph Marshall Walker
(1784–1856)
January 28, 1850

January 20, 1853
(term-limited)
Democratic 1849 Jean Baptiste Plauché
14 Paul Octave Hébert
(1818–1880)
January 20, 1853

January 28, 1856
(term-limited)
Democratic 1852 William Wood Farmer
(died October 29, 1854)
Robert C. Wickliffe
15 Robert C. Wickliffe
(1819–1895)
January 28, 1856

January 23, 1860
(term-limited)
Democratic 1855 Charles Homer Mouton
(resigned 1856)
William F. Griffin
16 Thomas Overton Moore
(1804–1876)
January 23, 1860

January 25, 1864
(term-limited)
Democratic 1859 Henry M. Hyams
17 George Foster Shepley
(1819–1878)
July 2, 1862

March 4, 1864
(successor took office)
Military governor Vacant
18 Henry Watkins Allen
(1820–1866)
January 25, 1864

June 2, 1865
(resigned)
Democratic 1863
(Confederate)
Benjamin W. Pearce
19 Michael Hahn
(1830–1886)
March 4, 1864

March 4, 1865
(resigned)
Union Free Trade
(Republican)
1864
(Union)
James Madison Wells
20 James Madison Wells
(1808–1899)
March 4, 1865

June 3, 1867
(removed)
Citizens Ticket Lieutenant
governor
acting
Vacant
1865 Albert Voorhies
21 Benjamin Flanders
(1816–1896)
June 6, 1867

January 2, 1868
(resigned)
Appointed by
military occupation
Vacant
22 Joshua Baker
(1799–1885)
January 2, 1868

June 27, 1868
(removed)
Appointed by
military occupation
23 Henry C. Warmoth
(1842–1931)
June 27, 1868

December 9, 1872
(removed)
Appointed by
military occupation
Republican 1868 Oscar Dunn
(died November 22, 1871)
Vacant
P. B. S. Pinchback
(appointed December 6, 1871)
24 P. B. S. Pinchback
(1837–1921)
December 9, 1872

January 13, 1873
(successor took office)
Republican Lieutenant
governor
acting
Vacant
25 John McEnery
(1833–1891)
January 13, 1873

May 22, 1873
(removed)
Democratic 1872 Davidson B. Penn
26 William Pitt Kellogg
(1830–1918)
January 13, 1873

January 8, 1877
(did not run)
Republican Caesar Antoine
27 Stephen B. Packard
(1839–1922)
January 8, 1877

April 25, 1877
(removed)
Republican 1876
28 Francis T. Nicholls
(1834–1912)
January 8, 1877

January 14, 1880
(did not run)
Democratic Louis A. Wiltz
29 Louis A. Wiltz
(1843–1881)
January 14, 1880

October 16, 1881
(died in office)
Democratic 1879 Samuel D. McEnery
30 Samuel D. McEnery
(1837–1910)
October 16, 1881

May 21, 1888
(lost nomination)
Democratic Lieutenant
governor
acting
William A. Robertson
(removed December 24, 1881)
George L. Walton
1884 Clay Knobloch
28 Francis T. Nicholls
(1834–1912)
May 21, 1888

May 16, 1892
(did not run)
Democratic 1888 James Jeffries
31 Murphy J. Foster
(1849–1921)
May 16, 1892

May 21, 1900
(term-limited)
Anti-Lottery
Democratic
1892 Charles Parlange
(resigned December 11, 1893)
Hiram R. Lott
(died June 2, 1895)
Robert H. Snyder
1896
32 William Wright Heard
(1853–1926)
May 21, 1900

May 16, 1904
(term-limited)
Democratic 1900 Albert Estopinal
33 Newton C. Blanchard
(1849–1922)
May 16, 1904

May 18, 1908
(term-limited)
Democratic 1904 Jared Y. Sanders Sr.
34 Jared Y. Sanders Sr.
(1869–1944)
May 18, 1908

May 20, 1912
(term-limited)
Democratic 1908 Paul M. Lambremont
35 Luther E. Hall
(1869–1921)
May 20, 1912

May 15, 1916
(term-limited)
Democratic 1912 Thomas C. Barret
36 Ruffin G. Pleasant
(1871–1937)
May 15, 1916

May 17, 1920
(term-limited)
Democratic 1916 Fernand Mouton
37 John M. Parker
(1863–1939)
May 17, 1920

May 19, 1924
(term-limited)
Democratic 1920 Hewitt Bouanchaud
(resigned April 12, 1924)
Delos R. Johnson
38 Henry L. Fuqua
(1865–1926)
May 19, 1924

October 11, 1926
(died in office)
Democratic 1924 Oramel H. Simpson
39 Oramel H. Simpson
(1870–1932)
October 11, 1926

May 21, 1928
(lost nomination)
Democratic Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Philip H. Gilbert
40 Huey Long
(1893–1935)
May 21, 1928

January 25, 1932
(resigned)
Democratic 1928 Paul N. Cyr
(removed March 4, 1931)
Alvin Olin King
41 Alvin Olin King
(1890–1958)
January 25, 1932

May 16, 1932
(successor took office)
Democratic Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Vacant
42 Oscar K. Allen
(1882–1936)
May 16, 1932

January 28, 1936
(died in office)
Democratic 1932 John B. Fournet
(resigned January 2, 1935)
James A. Noe
43 James A. Noe
(1890–1976)
January 28, 1936

May 12, 1936
(successor took office)
Democratic Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Vacant
44 Richard W. Leche
(1898–1965)
May 12, 1936

June 26, 1939
(resigned)
Democratic 1936 Earl Long
45 Earl Long
(1895–1960)
June 26, 1939

May 14, 1940
(lost nomination)
Democratic Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Coleman Lindsey
46 Sam H. Jones
(1897–1978)
May 14, 1940

May 9, 1944
(term-limited)
Democratic 1940 Marc M. Mouton
47 Jimmie Davis
(1899–2000)
May 9, 1944

May 11, 1948
(term-limited)
Democratic 1944 J. Emile Verret
45 Earl Long
(1895–1960)
May 11, 1948

May 13, 1952
(term-limited)
Democratic 1948 Bill Dodd
48 Robert F. Kennon
(1902–1988)
May 13, 1952

May 15, 1956
(term-limited)
Democratic 1952 C. E. Barham
45 Earl Long
(1895–1960)
May 15, 1956

May 10, 1960
(term-limited)
Democratic 1956 Lether Frazar
47 Jimmie Davis
(1899–2000)
May 10, 1960

May 12, 1964
(term-limited)
Democratic 1960 Taddy Aycock
49 John McKeithen
(1918–1999)
May 12, 1964

May 9, 1972
(term-limited)
Democratic 1964
1968
50 Edwin Edwards
(1927–2021)
May 9, 1972

March 10, 1980
(term-limited)
Democratic 1972 Jimmy Fitzmorris
1975
51 Dave Treen
(1928–2009)
March 10, 1980

March 12, 1984
(lost election)
Republican 1979 Robert Louis Freeman Sr.
50 Edwin Edwards
(1927–2021)
March 12, 1984

March 14, 1988
(withdrew)
Democratic 1983
52 Buddy Roemer
(1943–2021)
March 14, 1988

January 13, 1992
(lost election)
Democratic 1987 Paul Hardy
50 Edwin Edwards
(1927–2021)
January 13, 1992

January 8, 1996
(did not run)
Democratic 1991 Melinda Schwegmann
53 Mike Foster
(1930–2020)
January 8, 1996

January 12, 2004
(term-limited)
Republican 1995 Kathleen Blanco
1999
54 Kathleen Blanco
(1942–2019)
January 12, 2004

January 14, 2008
(did not run)
Democratic 2003 Mitch Landrieu
(resigned May 3, 2010)
55 Bobby Jindal
(b. 1971)
January 14, 2008

January 11, 2016
(term-limited)
Republican 2007
Scott Angelle
Jay Dardenne
(elected November 22, 2010)
2011
56 John Bel Edwards
(b. 1966)
January 11, 2016

January 8, 2024
(term-limited)
Democratic 2015 Billy Nungesser
2019
57 Jeff Landry
(b. 1970)
January 8, 2024

Incumbent
Republican 2023

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-28 22:33 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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